[BSMSPEMBA]

Hi James,

A few months back, Stan and you made a couple posts in which you mentioned that Bryston is working on the next round of upgrades for the SP3.  Unfortunately, I cannot find the posts. 

As I recall, the intent was to offer an upgraded HDMI board with full 4k support on all 8 inputs and 2 outputs and to add ARC.  I cannot recall if there were other benefits.  I also recall that the upgrade was scheduled for this summer.  I know COVID-19 disrupted all road maps.  However, is a status update on the upgrade available?  In general, is to possible for you to list the currently available upgrades for the SP3?

Thank you

[James Tanner]

Hi James,

A few months back, Stan and you made a couple posts in which you mentioned that Bryston is working on the next round of upgrades for the SP3.  Unfortunately, I cannot find the posts. 

As I recall, the intent was to offer an upgraded HDMI board with full 4k support on all 8 inputs and 2 outputs and to add ARC.  I cannot recall if there were other benefits.  I also recall that the upgrade was scheduled for this summer.  I know COVID-19 disrupted all road maps.  However, is a status update on the upgrade available?  In general, is to possible for you to list the currently available upgrades for the SP3?

Thank you

Hi

Yes Covid has certainly taken its toll on our plans.  I will ask Stan his thoughts.

james

[Grit]

Im interested too!

I think/hope it was full 4k/HDR support on all ports too. As I recall, we're supposed to use ports 5-7 for the most/best support for 4k passthrough on the current board?

[edmiston]

I would also be very interested, but specifically, whether there could be a dac upgrade.  For those of us who are dedicated to multichannel music, there are very few options.  The SP3 is unequaled in the analogue domain, but I feel dacs have advanced significantly since the SP3 was designed.  There are still thousands of titles being released in multichannel SACD format, but not many companies can process SACD over HDMI.

[WillyP]

One of the reasons I went for the SP3 was its modular design, so it would be possible to upgrade the SP3, by switching boards. The DAC used in the SP3 is either the same as in the BDA-1 or has a sound quality that is comparable.

In my naivety, I thought it would be easy to swap the DAC board for a board with the same DACs as in the BDA-3. Unfortunately, it couldn’t be done, according to James, when I asked him the question. The reasons were technical, the DAC board is incorporated in the system architecture or something like that.

A bit of a disappointment for me, because I feel that an SP3 with an internal BDA-3 DAC board could be a match made in heaven! I have no doubts that the upgrade costs would have been very high, though.

WillyP

[gbaby]

One of the reasons I went for the SP3 was its modular design, so it would be possible to upgrade the SP3, by switching boards. The DAC used in the SP3 is either the same as in the BDA-1 or has a sound quality that is comparable.

In my naivety, I thought it would be easy to swap the DAC board for a board with the same DACs as in the BDA-3. Unfortunately, it couldn’t be done, according to James, when I asked him the question. The reasons were technical, the DAC board is incorporated in the system architecture or something like that.

A bit of a disappointment for me, because I feel that an SP3 with an internal BDA-3 DAC board could be a match made in heaven! I have no doubts that the upgrade costs would have been very high, though.

WillyP

I purchased the BDA-3 for my SP-3. The synergy between the two is phenomenal.

[gbaby]

WillyP, if you have not done so yet and have a 7.1 configuration on your SP3, try listening to music using the Dolby Pro Logic Iix Music. When listening to music, most times, I prefer it to the sound of the BDA-3.

[edmiston]

I'm afraid I found adding a $3500 dac to a $10k processor a bit annoying.  Besides, it would not help with multichannel music, which is my main source.

[gbaby]

I'm afraid I found adding a $3500 dac to a $10k processor a bit annoying.  Besides, it would not help with multichannel music, which is my main source.

Actually, I purchased it for two channel and so I can play two channel DSD from SACD. But, multichannel SACD through the SP-3 which is 5.1 or 7.1 which samples at 176.24 PCM is hands down better sounding than two channel DSD. I have hundreds of SACDs and 2,700 CDs so I have experienced all. But, at the end of the day, I have concluded that a well recorded source can sound more natural at the red book sampling rate of 44.16 PCM. I also notice that when I owned the Oppo CD player, it downsampled SACD to 88.2 PCM. The Sony players downsampled multichannel SACD to 176.4 PCM which I found to sound better than the Oppo. Also, I have discovered that a DAC is not the most important part of processor as you have to consider the analog section and other trade secrets designed in processors. I would love to know what processors are musically better sounding it its class even in 2020. Kal Rubinson called the SP-3 the first great processor and I've never heard this description for a processor since his Sterophile review.

[Kal Rubinson]

Kal Rubinson called the SP-3 the first great processor and I've never heard this description for a processor since his Sterophile review.

Well, there can be only one first.   

[Grit]

Has there been a second??

I'd LOVE a SP3.5 that included faster HDMI handshaking, Dolby Atmos/DTS X, and new DACs (equivalent to a BDA-3... maybe 3 for L/C/R and 3 more for surround, back, and sub)?

I relish the ability to designate speakers via a computer interface (like the SP4), but I'd never give up the SQ of by SP3, esp in "bypass" to get that feature.

OR, put a SP3 quality 2-ch bypass in the SP4. But I'd still prefer an SP3.5 I think.

[Grit]

James, and ETA/update on the upgraded HDMI board for the SP3?

Was supposed to go back to 8 outputs, 2 inputs, and e-ARC?

[James Tanner]

James, and ETA/update on the upgraded HDMI board for the SP3?

Was supposed to go back to 8 outputs, 2 inputs, and e-ARC?

I am not sure where that stands currently - email Mike on that please.  mpickett@bryston.com

james

[gdbalp]

Has there been a second??

I'd LOVE a SP3.5 that included faster HDMI handshaking, Dolby Atmos/DTS X, and new DACs (equivalent to a BDA-3... maybe 3 for L/C/R and 3 more for surround, back, and sub)?

I relish the ability to designate speakers via a computer interface (like the SP4), but I'd never give up the SQ of by SP3, esp in "bypass" to get that feature.

OR, put a SP3 quality 2-ch bypass in the SP4. But I'd still prefer an SP3.5 I think.

I agree with a SP3.5 or SP3 Cubic edition...

Bryston has developed a lot of complimentary products from BP-18 recently, and existing BDA-3 and SP3, so it would not be too much of a stretch to develop an SP3 Cubic edition...

A real home theater audiophile processor/receiver - SP3.5 or SP3 Cubic edition...

Luigi

[BSMSPEMBA]

Garrett,

Please post what you learn from Mike.

Thank you

[gbaby]

I agree with a SP3.5 or SP3 Cubic edition...

Bryston has developed a lot of complimentary products from BP-18 recently, and existing BDA-3 and SP3, so it would not be too much of a stretch to develop an SP3 Cubic edition...

A real home theater audiophile processor/receiver - SP3.5 or SP3 Cubic edition...

Luigi

I think that the cube only refers to the type of technology used for amps and not preamps.

[Alphonse]

I am also interested in update info on SP3 and SP4. In fact I sent a contact message from the Bryson web site to USA service over a week ago with no response so far. Specifically will brand new SP3s come with older MDS HSR-72Q or the new HSR-82T. Or, if you buy a used SP3 how extensive and costly will upgrades to latest spec be? For example there are 2 SP3s on HiFiShark.com right now asking $3000. But they have 2011 and 2012 build dates. If they require new motherboards or power supplies or something else in addition to HDMI and or usb upgrades is it worth the cost?     Al

[James Tanner]

I am also interested in update info on SP3 and SP4. In fact I sent a contact message from the Bryson web site to USA service over a week ago with no response so far. Specifically will brand new SP3s come with older MDS HSR-72Q or the new HSR-82T. Or, if you buy a used SP3 how extensive and costly will upgrades to latest spec be? For example there are 2 SP3s on HiFiShark.com right now asking $3000. But they have 2011 and 2012 build dates. If they require new motherboards or power supplies or something else in addition to HDMI and or usb upgrades is it worth the cost?     Al

Hi Al

I will send this to Mike.

james

[Grit]

I am also interested in update info on SP3 and SP4. In fact I sent a contact message from the Bryson web site to USA service over a week ago with no response so far. Specifically will brand new SP3s come with older MDS HSR-72Q or the new HSR-82T. Or, if you buy a used SP3 how extensive and costly will upgrades to latest spec be? For example there are 2 SP3s on HiFiShark.com right now asking $3000. But they have 2011 and 2012 build dates. If they require new motherboards or power supplies or something else in addition to HDMI and or usb upgrades is it worth the cost?     Al

The HSR-82T is the upgraded HDMI board I've been asking about and hope Bryston will offer as an upgrade for the SP3. To the best of my knowledge, they still use the HSR-72Q, which was an upgrade from the original board used.

I don't know what year they switched over. The easiest way to tell is the back panel. The original SP3 had 8 HDMI inputs. The upgraded HSR-72Q is only a 7 input board, so an SP3 with that HDMI board will only have 7 HDMI inputs.

IMO, you can expect to pay about $1000 for the HDMI upgrade. So, sending in a 2011/2012 SP3 to get the HDMI upgrade is a great time to get them to look over your SP3 and service anything else (however unlikely) that needs attention. If I was in your shoes, I'd snag it and hold out for the HSR-82T.

Or in a perfect world, Byston announces my imaginary SP3.5 upgrade package.

[Mike Pickett]

I am also interested in update info on SP3 and SP4. In fact I sent a contact message from the Bryson web site to USA service over a week ago with no response so far. Specifically will brand new SP3s come with older MDS HSR-72Q or the new HSR-82T. Or, if you buy a used SP3 how extensive and costly will upgrades to latest spec be? For example there are 2 SP3s on HiFiShark.com right now asking $3000. But they have 2011 and 2012 build dates. If they require new motherboards or power supplies or something else in addition to HDMI and or usb upgrades is it worth the cost?     Al

We are now officially using the new HSR82T HDMI board in new SP3 production, and have been carefully rolling out upgrades to existing units.  In most cases, the only SP3's that would benefit from upgrading to the HSR82T would be units using older 8 input modules, which makes it a relatively straightforward upgrade. 

The upgrade cost would vary from $1000.00 for HDMI only, up to $3800.00 for a full rebuild to current specification.

Thanks,

Mike